JOHN KEMP FROM MANCHESTER JAILED FOR GROOMING PORTSMOUTH SCHOOLGIRL
In a disturbing case that has shocked the local community, John Kemp, a 42-year-old man from Manchester, was convicted of grooming and sexually abusing a 14-year-old schoolgirl in Portsmouth.The incident unfolded over a period of approximately seven weeks, during which Kemp exploited his position of trust as a deputy head teacher to manipulate the young girl.
According to court proceedings, Kemp initially established contact with the girl through Kik, a popular instant messaging platform.
Posing as a trusted adult, he gradually built a rapport with her, convincing her of his authority and reliability due to his role as a teacher.
This manipulation culminated in Kemp booking a hotel room at the Holiday Inn in Portsmouth, where he engaged in a series of sexual offences against the girl.
The court heard that Kemp’s actions were deliberate and calculated, aimed at exploiting the girl’s innocence and trust.
The young girl, overwhelmed and confused by the events, eventually confided in her family.
Her distress was so severe that she attempted to take her own life by overdosing on paracetamol.
Her father recounted in a victim personal statement how she was left feeling unable to trust anyone after the ordeal.
The court was told that her first experience of sexual intercourse was with Kemp, a fact that added to the gravity of the case.
Following her disclosure, Kemp was arrested.
During his arrest, police found condoms and a Valentine’s Day card in his possession, indicating premeditation and further evidence of his intent.
Kemp was subsequently released on bail but did not cease his attempts to contact the girl.
He traveled from Manchester to Portsmouth again, booking another hotel room, only to be apprehended by police officers waiting for him at the scene.
Judge Roger Hetherington sentenced Kemp to a total of seven years in prison.
He stated that Kemp’s actions were highly manipulative, involving grooming through texts and phone calls over several weeks.
The judge emphasized that Kemp’s role as a senior teacher likely contributed to the girl’s misplaced trust in him.
The court also heard that Kemp had previously admitted to two counts of meeting a child following sexual grooming and eight counts of sexual activity with a child.
In addition to his prison sentence, Kemp was issued a lifelong sexual harm prevention order, prohibiting him from contacting any girls under the age of 16 and the victim specifically.
He was also placed on the sex offenders register for life, marking a severe restriction on his future interactions with minors.
The judge ordered that one of the sentences, related to offences committed while Kemp was on bail, run consecutively to the rest of his term, ensuring he would serve a substantial period behind bars for his crimes.
